Staff Reporter :
Dr. Saidur Rahman, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, has assured that the government will provide lifetime medical treatment and rehabilitation for those injured during the mass uprising.
He made the statement after a meeting with a delegation of victims of the uprising at the Health and Family Welfare Ministry conference room at the Secretariat on Thursday.
Dr. Rahman said that dedicated beds would be made available for the treatment of the injured in government hospitals across the country. Furthermore, he added that if necessary, arrangements for advanced treatment abroad would be made for the victims.
Earlier, the students, demanding for proper treatment of those injured in the July-August uprising for a long time, have now presented a seven-point demand to ensure immediate and adequate medical care with the support of the interim government.
A delegation of the injured on Thursday presented their demands during a meeting with six advisers at the Ministry of Health in Bangladesh Secretariat.
The meeting, chaired by Health Adviser Noorjahan Begum, was attended by Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter, Posts, Telecommunications and ICT Adviser Md. Nahid Islam, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiya, Social Welfare Adviser Sharmin S. Murshid, Adviser Mahfuz Alam, and Special Assistant to the Health Adviser Md. Syedur Rahman.
At the meeting, the delegation presented a seven-point demand for the students suffered injuries during the July-August uprising, calling for them to receive medical care equivalent to that of ministers, reimbursement of medical expenses, and monthly allowances for the families of martyrs and injured fighters through honor cards.
They also demand the establishment of a museum, the “Uprising Martyrs’ Foundation,” and an annual signature campaign to honor the fallen. A nationwide signature campaign should be organized from July 1 to August 5 each year to honor the martyrs.
The perpetrators of the mass killings by the Awami League and its allies should be brought to justice and sentenced. Additionally, the party should be banned.
A neutral investigation committee should be formed to examine the medical files of those who lost limbs or died in the uprising. The opinions of the families of the martyrs and injured fighters from the uprising should be taken into account for future state reforms.
Earlier on late Wednesday night, Legal Adviser Professor Dr. Asif Nazrul, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiya, Adviser Mahfuz Alam, and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Professor Md. Syedur Rahman visited the NITOR, where the injured protesters were staging a sit-in. The protesters agreed to return to the hospital from the streets after receiving the assurances of fulfilling their demands.
Adviser Mahfuz Alam stated that a meeting would be held at the Secretariat at 2 PM on Thursday with the representatives of the injured, where discussions would be held on how the government could support them.
During a separate programme of the day in Savar, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter stated that the anger among the injured arises from mistakes made by the government, and their demands are justified. “That’s why they have taken to the streets after leaving the hospitals. The government is determined to fulfill their demands at any cost,” she said.
“The interim government came to power through a revolution, and we have gained a new Bangladesh, in which the martyrs have played a significant role,” she also pointed out.
She further said, “Due to bureaucratic complications, many have not yet received compensation. Arrangements are being made to resolve this quickly.”